Transom mounting for an outboard motor



Oct. 30, 1962 w. c. coNovER TRANsoM MOUNTING FoRAN ouTBoARn MOTOR FiledJuly 5, 1960 32 2@ Q mf 7. mm. 7 o m@ A .v4.0 ".A..A\ a. WA we W F w km. 20 3 3 P mV 0 #W e 2. n linhV /9 x2 l. 5 ,y M v /Q .MW a e a BY nf,Mvm

' ATTORNEY;

United States This invention relates to an improved transom mounting foran outboard motor.

In the past the trans-om brackets with respect to which outboard motorsare pivoted for adjustment and for tilting have been attached by meansof clamps to the transom of the boat upon which the motor is used.According to the present invention, the bracket is unchanged as to itspivotal connection with the motor but the clamps are omitted. In lieuthereof, the bracket has portions which are interlocked at a pluralityof levels with iittings -applied externally to the boat transom, theinterlocking engagement and release of the outboard motor being effectedby relative vertical movement, the parts which interlock at differentlevels preferably being also fat different horizontal spacing from eachother. While the bracket has no clam-ping connection with the interiorface of the transom, I preferably retain a load supporting portion whichrests on the top of the transom and interacts therewith to ydefine aposition of the bracket respecting the retaining fittings in whichplungers connected with the retaining iittings can be advanced intosockets of the bracket to lock the .parts against accidentalsepa-ration.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a View in rear elevation showing the retaining ittings appliedto the back of a boat transom and also showing portions of the outboardmotor bracket, the connection ofthe rest of the outboard motor beingbroken away axially of the pintle upon which the outboard motor ispivoted to the bracket.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the parts in relativelyseparated positions as they appear during application or removal of theoutboard motor.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showingportions of the boat transom in section and showing portions of thoseoutboard motor parts which are pivotally supported ,from the bracket.

FIG. 4 is a vfragmentary detail view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary detail view taken on line 5-5 of FIG. l.

FIG. 6 is a view in side elevation showing portions of the outboardmotor bracket as separated from the transom fittings.

FIG. 7 is a view in side elevation of one of the transom fittings,portions of the transom being shown in section, and the iitting beingillustrated from a point of view which is central respecting thetransom.

In accordance with Vthe invention, two transom fittings 8 and 9 areattached tothe transom 10` by any permanent means of connection such asthe bolts shown at 11. These transom ttings are allochiral.

The respective ttings 8 and 9 are convergent downwardly in the sensethat, regardless of their external form, they are provided with opposedpairs of pockets which are desirably in closer proximity at the lowerends of the fittings than the pockets at the upper ends of the fittings.Each of the fittings 8 and 9 is provided with inwardly projectingflanges 12 which are spaced from the rear face 13 of transom 10*1 to`define pockets at 15 shown in dotted lines in FIGS. l, 2 and 3.Desirably, the flanges 12 are spaced below the upper ends of the atentiittings 8 and 9 in order not to interfere with the provision forreleasably locking the parts together as hereinafter described.

Near the lower ends of the ttings 8 and 9, the littings are providedwith iianges 17 which are similarly spaced from the rear surface 13 `oftransom 10 to provide pockets 18 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2 andshown in full in FiG. 7. The pockets 18 and the anges 17 which form themare desirably oifset inwardly toward ea-ch other from the pockets 15 andthe flanges 12 which form them. The only objective in providing thisoifset is to make the outboard motor applicable and removable withrelatively little vertical movement between it and the transom.

The part generally `designated by reference character 20 is very similarto a conventional outboard motor transom bracket. It has a hook shapedportion 21 shown separately in FIG. 6 which engages over the uppermargin 22 of the transom 1t) in the conventional way. The hook 23 doesnot function during normal use of the out-board motor but is of value inproviding temporary support during manipulation of the motor withrespect to the transom. The outboard motor powerhead 24 and strut 25 areonly fragmentarily illustrated in FIG. 3. They are provided with asteering pintle 26 which extends through a bearing sleeve 27 which has asupporting mounting provided by the transverse sleeve 28 pivoted on thehorizontal pintle 29 whereby the entire outboard motor structure istiltable with respect to its mounting bracket Ztl. The engagement of thetransverse pintle Z9 in the upper end portions of the mounting bracket20 is conventional, as is the rest of the structure currently described.It is also conventional to provide a thrust Vmember to and from whichthe loutboard motor structure may tilt about the transverse pintle 29,such thrust member defining an upright position which may be adjusted inconformity with the inclination of the boat transom. Tilting of themotor from this thrust member permits the outboard motor propeller to belifted out of the water Awhen it is desired to beach the boat. It alsopermits the submerged parts to yield if a Shoal or submerged obstacle isencountered. Merely by way of exem- .plying an arrangement for thispurpose, I have shown the transom bracket element Ztl provided withlaterally spaced rearwardly projecting parts at 32 between which thereextends a lbolt 33 selectively positioned in one of the holes 34 andabutted yby the steering sleeve 27. It will be understood that thepresent invention is not concemed with the manner in which the outboardmotor is mounted upon, or tilta-ble with respect to the bracket element20 which replaces the conventional transom bracket but must still serveto support the outboard motor assembly.

The two side portions S2 of the replacement transom bracket 20 areprovided at vertically spaced levels with laterally projecting ilanges35 and 36. The ilanges 35 are relatively widely spaced and of suchdimensions as to be receivable snugly into the pockets 15 of the ttings8 and 9. The flanges 36 are less widely spaced and of such dimensions asto be receivable snugly into the pockets -18 ofthe fittings 8 and 9.

The upper pockets 15 as defined by the inwardly projecting flanges 12constitute ways in which the upper laterally projecting anges 35 of thetransom bracket l20 are receivable for downward sliding movement andfrom which they may be released by upward sliding movement.

Similiarly, the lower pockets 18 of the transom-connected iittings 8 and9, as formed by flanges 17 constitute a set of ways into which theflanges 36 of transom bracket 20 are receivable for limited downwardsliding movement concurrently with reception of the upper llanges 35-into the ways provided by the upper pockets 15.

It will be observed that the connection between the transom fittings 8and 9 and the motor supporting bracket is such as to attach the bracketto the transom near the top of the transom and also at a much lowerlevel. Yet it is not necessary to raise the outboard motor to a heightsufiicient to bring the lower end of the bracket into registry ywith thetop of the transom. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 2, the parts aremovable into a common vertical plane when the bracket member 20 is onlyslightly higher than the top of the transom. This is due to the factthat the pockets 13 are less widely spaced than the pockets 15. Merelymoving the bracket member 20 downwardly from the position of `FIG. 2 tothat of FIG. 1 will engage fianges 35 in brackets 15 and willconcurrently engage fianges 36 in pockets 18.

When the respective flanges are fully engaged in the respective pockets,the hook portion 21 of the supporting bracket 20 will engage the top ofthe transom. This or any other desired expedient may be used to locatesockets 38 of the bracket element 20 in registry with retractableplungers 39 with ywhich the bracket elements 8 and 9 are provided. Theseplungers are preferably integral with the ends of captive bolts 40 screwthreaded to the respective fittings 8 and 9 and having shank portions 41providing the connection between the threaded bolt 40 and the plunger39. A retractable detent 42 extends into the gap between the threadedbolt and the plunger as shown in FIG. 4 to permit the bolt to be movedupon its threads through a range which will withdraw or engage itsplunger portion 39 in the registering socket of the outboard motorsupporting bracket 20. FIG. 2 shows the respective bolts withdrawn tothe limit permitted by the detent 42 while FIGS. 1 and 4 show the boltsadvanced to lock the motor supporting bracket against accidentaldisplacement from the transom fittings 8 and 9.

The arrangement described provides an easily manipulated but very securemounting for connecting an outboard motor to a boat transom and somewhatreduces the weight of the parts carried by the outboard motor. Itfurther eliminates clamping means yfrom the interior of the boat, thusavoiding marring the interior finish of the transom in the manner whichhas heretofore been objectionable.

I claim:

1. The combination with an outboard propulsion unit having a mountingbracket and a transverse pintle supporting said unit on the bracket, oftransom bracket means externally applicable to a boat transom havinglaterally spaced parts integrally provided with means defining upper andlower Ways, the said supporting bracket having upper and lower pairs offlange means slideable in said ways, the flange means of the mountingbracket and the `ways of the transom bracketmeans being closer togetherin the lower pair than in the upper pair and the several Iways allopening upwardly, at least one of the said transom bracket parts and aproximate portion of the outboard motor mounting bracket havingcomplementary laterally movable pin and socket means yfor locking themounting bracket against vertical displacement respecting the transombracket parts, said pin and socket means being in registry `foreffective locking interaction when the iianges of the mounting bracketare engaged in the pockets provided by the fianges of the tansom bracketparts.

2. An outboard motor mounting comprising the combination of relativelyfixed transom bracket fittings, each of which has integrally connectedmeans providing an upper pocket and a lower pocket, the pockets of therespective fittings being spaced in pairs in which the pockets areoppositely directed and the pockets of the upper pair are spaced at agreater interval than the pockets of the lower pair, and a propulsionunit bracket having pairs of flanges complementary to the pockets andwhich have corresponding spacing in the respective pairs andcorresponding vertical spacing between pairs, said pairs of flanges andthe integrally connected means providing upper and lower pockets in saidfittings constituting means substantially simultaneously engageablebetween the fittings and bracket adjacent the upper and lower sets ofpockets for supporting and confining the propulsion unit bracketrespecting the transom bracket fittings.

3. An outboard motor mounting comprising the cornbination of propulsionunit bracket means and transom bracket means relatively movablevertically for interconnection and disconnection, the said bracket meanshaving integrally connected upper and lower complementary interlockingparts in upper and lower pairs at different lateral spacing in therespective pairs, the complementary parts of the upper and lower pairsbeing substantially simultaneously engageable and disengageable in thecourse of relative vertical movement between said brackets andconstituting means for releasably securing the propulsion unit bracketmeans on the transom bracket means, the transom bracket means comprisinglaterally spaced integral generally upright fixtures upon which therespective parts of its said pairs are provided, the said parts of oneof said brackets means comprising pocket forming means and thecomplementary parts of the other bracket means comprising fiange meansreceivable in the pocket forming means in the relative downward movementof the propulsion unit bracket means with respect to the transom bracketmeans, the pocket forming means having means for limiting relativemovement of the flange means with respect thereto, whereby to providesupport for the propulsion unit bracket means from the transom bracketmeans.

4. In an outboard motor the combination with a propulsion unit brackethaving a transverse pintle upon which a propulsion unit is pivotallymounted for tilting, said bracket having upper and lower pairs oflaterally projecting flanges, the flanges of the upper pair being morewidely spaced than the iianges of the lower pair, and transom bracketmeans having means for permanent connection to a boat transom andprovided with two sets of ways at upper and lower levels, the ways ofthe upper set being spaced to receive the upper flanges of thepropulsion unit bracket and the ways of the lower set being laterallyspaced to receive the lower fianges of the propulsion unit bracket, theways of both sets being open upwardly, the ways of both sets, and thecomplementary pairs of flanges, having complementary downwardlyconverging surfaces constituting means `for wedging the first mentionedbracket in a fixed supported position in the transom bracket means whenthe respective lianges are engaged in the respective ways.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,091,257 Trescott Mar. 24, 1914 1,284,422 Morris Nov. 12, 19181,382,430 Kyle June 21, 1921 1,704,303 Savage Mar. 5, 1929 2,138,600Harmon Nov. 29, 1938 2,213,520 Gentry Sept. 3, 1940 2,271,928 Sims Feb.3, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,464 Great Britain May 22, 1947 Dedication v3,061,250.-Wawen U. (ono'ver, Waukegan, Ill. TRANSOM MOUNTING FOR ANOUTBOARD MOTOR. Patent dated Oct. 30, 1962. Dedication filed Apr. 6.1970, by the assignee, Outboard Mam'ne ofpomtz'on.

Hereby dedcates the remaining term rof the patent to the Public.

[Oficial Gazette August 18, 1.970.]

